Worcester Business Journal

6 Worcester Business Journal | February 23, 2026 | wbjournal.com BY ERIC CASEY WBJ Managing Editor W .E. Aubuchon Co. has been operating for 118 years, and the Westminster-head- quartered operator of small hardware supply stores has major plans for the next generation. Helmed by fourth-generation leader Will Aubuchon IV since 2015, Aubuchon has adjusted to evolv- ing market forces through changes in business tactics and new partner- ships, undergoing an ambitious expansion effort seeking to triple the company's size in time for its 125th anniversary in 2033, even as community-focused hardware stores succumb to Amazon, Home De- pot, and other less personable options. e company has acquired 25 loca- tions since September 2023, said Chief Growth Officer Josiah Gates, entering three new states in the past three years in an effort to diversify its geography. In addition to expanding via pur- chases, Aubuchon is engaged in a vigorous campaign of new store open- ings and enhancements to its existing location on a breakneck pace, which sees it celebrate a new store remodeling on an average of once every 11 days, said Will Aubuchon. "It's mind boggling," he said. "Nev- er, ever in our history would we think we'd be doing that. is is more than just putting up a few balloons. It's new floors, new fixtures, new layouts. It's a lot of effort. e team is working incredibly hard." Aubuchon's growth comes as the number of hardware stores in the coun- ty has declined 3.9% in the past five years, according to the North American Hardware and Paint Association. Local touch With about 1,500 employees, Aubu- chon Hardware is the largest fami- ly-owned business in Central Massa- chusetts, according to data provided to the WBJ Research Department. With 136 stores across 11 states, Aubuchon's size represents a significant growth since its beginnings as a single Fitchburg hardware store, purchased in 1908 by the original William Aubu- chon, a French-Canadian immigrant. e company claims to be the oldest family-owned hardware chain in the country. "ey're on Main Street and in town centers, and those traditional hardware stores play an important role in our communities," said Roy Nascimento, president & CEO at North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Com- merce. "ese are small businesses that serve residents and contribute back into the local economy. eir business model really runs counter to retailing today. A lot of retailing is big box stores and on- line commerce, and they have competed very well with them." Will Aubuchon estimates his com- pany has total revenue equal to about five Home Depot stores. In the age of Amazon delivery, Aubuchon's local con- nections aren't just a major part of the company's survival, it's the sole reason the company still exists, he said. "e only thing that's le at this point is how we serve. It's all we got, in the aisle with the customer or with the neighbor," he said. "Honestly, if one day human beings choose to no longer value that, we're kind of screwed." ACE expansion About 3% of family businesses operate into the fourth generation or beyond, according to the Family Business Association. Since taking the helm 11 years ago, Will Aubuchon has had to make significant changes to the company's business model to ensure its survival. e company operated under a self-distribution model for most of its existence until 2017, when it closed its warehouse. e switch to external distribution expanded the ability to grow beyond a reasonable drive from its warehouse and offered the company Inside Aubuchon's rapid expansion e chain of small hardware stores plans to triple in size by 2033 Will Aubuchon IV, president & CEO of W.E. Aubuchon Co. Josiah Gates, chief growth officer at W.E. Aubuchon Co. PHOTOS | COURTESY OF W.E. AUBUCHON CO. Fueled by a 2023 decision to join the ACE Hardware cooperative, Aubuchon has undergone an aggressive campaign of acquisitions and store remodeling.

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